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Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Dashing Dude

So, I finished Jeff's birthday jacket! And only seven months late too! Doesn't he look handsome in it?As I wrote earlier, I modeled this jacket on a beloved Urban Outfitters jacket he already owns. I modified a shirt pattern (McCall's 4079) to get a jacket look.

And I lined it in a Mexican skull-print fabric, as requested.

I'm so glad this project is done. First of all, because he loves it. Secondly, so I don't have to see that sweet, pitiful, puppy-dog look in his eyes when he asks me repeatedly to finish it. And thirdly, because I made more mistakes on this project than any other, I swear. First there was the hole I cut in the middle of the sleeve with my serger. And then the mistakes just kept coming. The skull pattern on the lining front is upside-down, one of the cuff buttons is non-functioning (long story), the left side seam is felled and the right one isn't . . . oh, I could go on and on. The point is: it's a little screwy. But he adores it and doesn't mind (or notice) the flaws one bit.

And look! More video! We went up on the roof of our apartment building on Sunday to get some photos, and we played around with the new video recorder a bit as well.

P.S. Thanks for all your sweet and encouraging comments on my first video post! I very much appreciated your suggestions for future vlogs (I still can't believe that's a word). More to come!

28 comments:

Oh I love the fact that it's so plain from the outside... then you get a surprise when you see the lining! Like a really cool secret. For some reason, even though I sew lots of dresses, shirts and other girly stuff, sewing anything 'manly' terrifies me!

Dashing Dude Jeff certainly looks very pleased (and dashing!), and with good reason. I'd never guess this started out as a shirt pattern, it looks so perfect as a jacket. Love the vlogs (?). The internet is always being accused of being impersonal - what a great way to show that it doesn't have to be that way. So when a tutorial on your husband's jacket?... And when your own line of patterns? I'd certainly be buying this one!

Well, That video makes me want to go on a double date with you and Jeff! Also, the jacket is AMAZING! I think Vlogs are definitely the way forward for your blog Gertie! You are one of the only people who have Vlogged, and not made me cringe once!

Well, you've inspired me to sew a coat for my fiance. I just finished a vintage pea coat for myself and the boy now wants one. I bought another vintage pattern (women's) for a double breasted pea coat style in 'his' size (36 bust/27 waist). It will take some modifications but I think I can make it work on him. Oh, and I even sent him to the fabric store to get some wool in whatever color he wanted. He came home with charcoal gray and a request for "paisley lining".

Very nice! I've sewn with cotton lining before on jackets. I love the look, but I found they didn't stay on the body or feel as nice as a slick lining. I'm wondering if that's the case for Jeff, or if the fit is loose enough there's no problem?

I just wanted to think everyone for the great comments. So glad that Gertie has such a nice community of folks to talk sewing with!

Kelly, the lining is great. Plenty of room inside, and it feels very cozy and warm. The only difference I notice is the slightly rougher texture of the cotton holds on to whatever you're wearing underneath it, so sometimes the shirt comes off with the jacket!

Do as my old ceramics prof used to tell us--there's no such thing as mistakes, just happy accidents. Remember, you did it on purpose! :) That's what I'm telling people about the quilts I need to quilt for Christmas. I cut the patches an inch not wide enough, and the strip that was supposed to go inbetween was an inch too short. So I got a new fabric and cut new strips--an inch longer and two inches wider than the messed-up ones. It looks great, but it was a mistake! And the other one has two different backings, because I didn't buy enough and didn't have time enough to reorder the same fabric. Instead, I bought a fairly close match, cut it in half lengthwise, and sewed it to either side so that the backing would be wide enough. It looks like I did it on purpose...